Coming back into relationship and connection with the body is such an essential part of a spiritual or healing journey,
But it's not always easy for everyone as the modern world causes us to be quite disembodied.
This short morning meditation together will hopefully guide you into a deeper connection with your body.
If you struggle to feel into the body,
Don't worry,
Just notice that and be with whatever is there for you in the present moment.
Sometimes this connection just takes time.
So find yourself somewhere comfortable to be,
However you feel awake enough but your body feels supported enough and let your body be relaxed and natural.
Gently close your eyes and begin to arrive into the present moment.
In the meditation I'll give you some guidance and then leave a space of silence for you to explore your own body and notice how it is for you.
As you rest there and breathe naturally,
Take your awareness down to your belly and notice the rise and fall of it as you breathe,
Following the full length of each breath,
Noticing all the sensations and feelings of your belly rising and falling with each in-breath and each out-breath.
You can let everything else go.
From your belly,
Let your awareness slowly expand out to fill your torso.
Notice how you can almost breathe with your whole torso.
Start to become aware of any feelings and sensations within the torso.
It could be the feeling of your belly,
Lungs and ribs rising and falling as you breathe.
It could be sensations in your stomach or your gut.
You could notice temperature or pain or maybe the feeling of your heart beating.
Or you might notice emotions arising and moving through.
See if you can notice with a sense of bare awareness and give everything the space to be there as it is.
Allow your awareness to expand out to your arms and notice what you can feel there.
All the way from your shoulders down to your fingertips,
Letting your shoulders relax down as you do that.
Allow your awareness to expand down to your legs from your bottom on the ground all the way down to the soles of your feet and notice what you feel there.
Maybe you feel into your muscles in your legs or the connection of them with the ground below you.
Maybe you feel a kind of energy in them.
Whatever you notice,
See if you can let it be as it is with a sense of bare awareness.
Allow your awareness to expand up to your neck and your head,
Letting all the muscles in your neck and your face relax and noticing what you feel.
You could notice the feeling of your tongue in your mouth.
Now let your awareness open out to fill your whole body and notice all the feelings and sensations within it.
If you can't feel your body as a whole,
You can have a scan around your body almost like you're in a dark cave,
Shining a torchlight around the cave to see what's there.
Just relaxing and noticing.
With each out breath,
Allow your whole body to relax and let go into the ground supporting you,
Letting yourself be really present in the moment,
Fully in your body,
Present in its vitality.
As you breathe,
You could have the sense that your whole body is breathing,
Resting in the fullness of your body,
Allowing everything to just be as it is.
Now very slowly,
I'd like you to begin to open your eyes,
But as you do,
Notice if your awareness can stay present in your body or whether it goes out to whatever's in front of you.
However it is,
It's okay.
It's helpful to notice how our awareness automatically goes out to sensory objects around us.
In time,
As your embodiment deepens,
You will be able to remain present,
Fully in your body as you go about your day,
Allowing you to receive life instead of going out to it and finding safety in the comfort of your body.
Even though this was a short practice together,
I hope you enjoyed it and have a wonderful,
Embodied and joyful day ahead.
